The Internet is a packet-switched network that generally provides a single class of service. In a single class of service network, packets transmitted between a source and destination are of equal priority. A single class of service network therefore sends all packets without regard to the type of communication, and the transmission of certain data may be delayed. Single-class service may be insufficient to support throughput-dependent applications, such as multimedia applications, because of the expected delays in transmission.
Remote access servers supporting multiple classes of services may alleviate the problems associated with single-class service. Multiple classes of service may be accomplished by support level agreements between carriers and customers. A support level agreement (SLA) is an agreement between a carrier and a customer that defines the terms of the carrier's responsibility to the customer and the how the customer is to be compensated if the terms of the SLA are not met. Relevant considerations in an SLA include, among other considerations, availability, delay, throughput, customer service and cost.
An SLA pricing scheme may charge customers according to the priority at which messages are transmitted, the volume of messages sent, the number of messages sent, minimum throughput or availability standards, and many other factors. SLAs are typically generated when a customer presents certain parameters, such as mean bit-rate, maximum burst size, etc., to a carrier network administrative entity (NAE), such as an Internet service provider (ISP), and the NAE agrees to provide the parameters. The quality of service (QoS) provided by the NAE can then be monitored to ensure that the NAE provides adequate service under the SLA.
Known methods of forming SLAs are inefficient because each customer is required to provide SLA parameters to an NAE, and NAEs are formed on a case-by-case basis. The formation of individualized SLAs for a multitude of customers is costly and may discourage less sophisticated customers wishing to form and SLA with an NAE.